'The Apprentice' Week 9 recap

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Poppy Carlig has become the 11th candidate to be fired from The Apprentice.

The 24-year-old recent college graduate was fired after she failed to adequately lead her Fortitude teammates to success in this week's Kim Kardashian perfume challenge.

The episode began with the shock of the candidates called to the boardroom by Mr Trump, who made the announcement that Anand had been found soliciting money via text messages from outside people. Anand initially denied the allegations, forcing Mr Trump to read the messages aloud to the room. Mr Trump then questioned Anand as to why he lied about the incident, and Anand explained that he did not tell the truth because he wanted to stay in the competition. However, he was immediately fired and sent home, becoming the 10th candidate to leave the program.

"I wasn't trying to be dishonest or cheat. It was just a bad judgment call," Anand said following the elimination. "If I could say anything to Mr Trump, it would be that I'm sorry. I'm just shocked at myself, I'm shocked at what happened. It's a tough pill to swallow."

This week's task was then announced, calling for candidates to work with Stephen Nussdorf of Perfumania to design and construct an in-store display for Kim Kardashian's new fragrance, as well as placing the campaign in two large retail spaces. Clint stepped up as project manager for Octane, while Poppy took on the role for Fortitude.

Team Fortitude

The girls decided to focus on Kardashian's sex appeal, with Poppy insisting that the women had an advantage in this task as they know more about perfume. They decided to focus upon creating a life-sized cut-out of Kardashian hanging from a swing.

Once the plan was in motion, Stephanie and Poppy left Liza to work on the construction of the project while they headed out to shop and meet with the graphic designer. They expressed relief at having escaped Liza, who they deem the "weakest link" in the competition.

Following their shopping expedition, Poppy and Stephanie arrived back and were pleased to see the progress made in her absence. They were also proud of their choice in accessories, though Liza later admitted that she finds them "trashy" and not fitting for Kim Kardashian.

Upon making their presentation to Nusdorf, the women were also introduced to Kardashian herself, who seemed lukewarm in her reception of the ad campaign, though Poppy later said that she believed the pair "ate it up".

Team Octane

The men accepted Steuart's idea to recreate a '40s-style Hollywood dressing room. Clint planned to ask Brandy for her expertise on the challenge, but she expressed concerns about Steuart's idea and with the fact that the women of Fortitude are "more feminine" than she is.

Steuart and Clint took on the role of meeting with the designers to discuss the construction of their ad campaign. Brandy stayed behind in order to take care of the practical needs of the campaign, though she later tells Ivanna that she feels "overwhelmed" by being the odd man out in this competition.

While showing Kardashian and Nusdorf their ad campaign, Clint managed to impress by creating a walk-through experience to show how customers would be introduced to the product.

The Boardroom

Mr Trump questioned Clint on who he believes the "star" of their team was during this challenge, and he named Steuart as the mastermind behind the concept. Clint went on to say that the men "scratched their heads" over Brandy's inability to contribute more to the task. However, Brandy slammed the idea that she had not carried her weight.

Turning his attention to the other group, Mr Trump listened to Poppy's insistence that Fortitude managed to capture the "exquisite beauty" of Kim Kardashian. Poppy was also unable to name which of her teammates she felt had performed better than the other, choosing instead to praise them both for their commitment and dedication.

Mr Trump then announced Team Octane as the winners of the task, claiming that it "wasn't even close" between the teams and offering Clint the reward of meeting with Starwood Hotels CEO Barry Sternlicht to discuss business strategies.

Left in the boardroom, Ivanka tells the women that Kim Kardashian found their ad campaign "cheesy" and over-the-top. Liza then spoke out against the choice, claiming that she did not support the idea but had gone along with it in order to keep the peace. She also praised Octane's approach, saying that it was much better than Fortitude's.

An argument then erupted when Poppy admitted that she felt pressure to keep Liza and Stephanie apart given their rocky history. However, Liza lashed out, claiming that she is constantly picked on in the boardroom despite not having done anything wrong.

Mr Trump expressed disappointment at Poppy for letting the girls fight and not speaking up as project manager to take control of her team. However, she insisted that she did a "great job" and tried to justify her reasons for acting as she did.

Asked who she believed should be fired, Poppy pointed to Stephanie for supporting the ideas that led to their failure in the task. Mr Trump took issue with this explanation, saying that as project manager she had the final say in what decisions were made. Expressing his disappointment, he then fired Poppy for her poor performance.

Speaking after her elimination, she said: "Working for Mr Trump was a very intense and intimidating process. He's a brilliant man and you really have to prove yourself to him. I don't really know where life will take me next. I love fashion, I love music and I am also very interested in dentistry."